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After a fist smashed through her driver-side window and pulled her out of her car around noon on Tuesday, Oct. 30, a sophomore who wishes to remain nameless ran for her life as a thief drove her car off campus.
The victim said, "I had an anthropology test at 12:10 to get to, so I drove on campus to go look for parking in lot 14, where I usually park. There was no parking, so I decided to go park in lot 15, the lot off campus behind the music building. As I drove between the tennis courts and the library, a car came speeding toward me. It hit the curb and got a flat tire.
"Two men jumped out of the car, one came toward me and told me to 'get the f**k out of the car,' so I tried to get the key out, but I was still in drive. It wasn't fast enough for the guy so he smashed my driver-side window…. I grabbed my bag and ran. He sped off with my little blue beetle, and the cops chased him."
NYPD officers were in pursuit of the two unarmed men, who entered the campus through the Reeves Avenue entrance. After their stolen Ford Focus incurred a flat tire between the Fitzgerald Gym and the Rosenthal Library, one suspect fled toward parking field 5 and subsequently off campus. The other suspect, identified as Thomas Parker, 55 - who has served three prison terms and is currently on parole for robbery - carjacked the unnamed victim and, with NYPD in pursuit, drove off of the campus grounds.
The stolen car was later recovered and nobody was harmed. NYPD declined to comment on the situation. Parker is now in custody and is being charged with robbery, assault, reckless endangerment, harassment, criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to a spokesman for DA Richard Brown. The other suspect is still at large.
This was Parker's third offense in the past month. He allegedly slapped a 59-year-old woman in the face and stole her vehicle on Oct. 12. Two weeks later, he smashed the window of a 24-year-old Queens College student's car on campus and stole her handbag, according to the New York Post. He was arrested Oct. 31, a day after he pulled the sophomore of her car and stole it before ditching the vehicle in Jamaica. Parker was already on parole for robbery.
Eyewitness Jonathan-Joy Gohil, senior, said, "One guy ran toward the parking lot facing the library, and the other guy ran to the blue car, yelled something and then, in one swift motion, swung his fist at the driver-side window of the car, breaking it and continuing to yell. Once the glass was broken, he opened the door and pulled the young girl out."
He added, "After that, I noticed others along with myself going over to where the girl was sitting on the side of the curb. Several young women were comforting her and making sure that she was OK. I noticed that she was shaken up with some minor cuts on her hand. Once I knew that she was well looked after and EMS was called, I left."
Unfortunately, the victim missed her midterm Tuesday, but that's obviously the least of her concerns. She's thankful that her car was found, and is grateful for the supportive responses she's gotten from students.
She said, "The police are currently testing my car for fingerprints, so I don't have it yet. I heard that it may have scratches on the side from him [the suspect] side swiping someone, and obviously I'm missing a driver-side window, but it doesn't matter - it can all be replaced; my life can't. I'm OK; I just have a few scratches on my fingers from the glass. I was shaken up earlier. I would like to thank everyone for their concern and well wishes."
The parking lots were locked down briefly after the incident, denying entrance to the lots to all students and faculty. Students who were signed up with the Emergency Notification System (ENS) received text messages and phone calls alerting them of the situation at various times.
Queens College administrators are pleased with the first run of their ENS system, but regret that it needed to be used.
Pedro Pineiro, director of the security office, said, "Today's event demonstrated the close working relationship that Queens College has with NYPD, and it gave us the unwanted experience of activating our Emergency Notification System."
Maria Terrone, assistant vice president for communications, said, "The administration is very pleased that, from the beginning, our security worked in close cooperation with the New York City Police Department to bring this incident to a successful end on campus."
She added, "What occurred yesterday led to our first-ever use of the new Emergency Notification System (ENS). We were gratified that the system performed well. Within minutes of our sending out the Campus Security Alert, it was delivered to individuals as text messages, e-mails and voice messages on cell phones and telephone answering systems. The college's many plasma screens also carried the message."
As NYPD helicopters circled the crime scene, students expressed anger toward the administration.
Andrew Sinatra, upper junior, said, "They [campus security] should put more security at the entrance. People just come and go when they please. Nobody knows who anyone is, it's dangerous."
Sophomore Tariq Islam concurs. He said, "They need better security. People just come and go, it's not safe. This is crazy."
In an agitated tone, Christina Collon said, "This whole thing is stupid. The hijacking shouldn't have happened. The text messages were like an hour late."
Sophomore Sanjida Alam said, "This is inexcusable. It's very dangerous for the students. This is vital information that students must receive within minutes of the incident, not hours. I feel insecure now. Thank God that since I have been here, we never had any serious problems."
The victim is thankful for the ENS's performance, but is dissatisfied with the security of the campus.
She said, "In my opinion, the ENS worked well. I got the texts around 1:00, the event happened around 12:00, but only myself and the people around me knew it happened when it happened. The fact that it took some time is just because it takes time to realize what exactly happened. They need to know the facts, because you can't send out false messages.
"However, I don't see why there aren't cameras or any kind of surveillance at all on campus. I'm not saying in the classrooms, but in areas like the parking garages there should be cameras. This all could have been taken care of faster if there was more protection on campus."
Terrone said, "Only those students who registered received these alerts. We continue to urge students, faculty and staff to register their contact information with ENS by visiting www.qc.cuny.edu/ens.php."
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